4 Things You Can Do To Help Your Vertigo
What can I do to treat vertigo at home?
If you have ever experienced vertigo and dizziness you know how it can make everyday life more difficult. Symptoms can come on spontaneously and impact your work, hobbies or daily activities.
You may have experienced symptoms like the room spinning, associated nausea, headaches and hearing changes. It can be enough to make you want to give up altogether!
BUT the good news is that you have options… There are things you can start to do today that can help decrease your symptoms or even get rid of them once and for all.
Keep reading this blog to learn about 4 different things you can do today to treat your vertigo symptoms.
4 Things You Can Do To Treat Your Vertigo
1. Understand Where Your Dizziness Is Coming From
Oftentimes, you have an understanding about what is causing your condition and why it can help you to manage symptoms and feel better. This is why knowing about your vertigo symptoms is so important!
Vertigo is caused by a problem within your vestibular system. It is a complex system within the inner ear that is responsible for things like balance and knowing where your body is in space.
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The main part of the vestibular system is called the vestibular labyrinth. This is made up of 2 main parts:
- Semicircular canals – these winding canals are filled with fluid and can detect your various head movements.
- Otolith organ – these organs detect movement when crystals within our inner ear move and shift. This organ detects gravity and forward and backward movements
When there is dysfunction in any of these areas then quick movements may cause your brain and vestibular system to not communicate properly and trigger vertigo symptoms.
Being mindful of things which trigger your vertigo, avoiding sudden jarring movements and understanding your condition can help you to avoid triggers in the future and reduce the risk of experiencing vertigo!
2. Get Assessed By a Vestibular Physiotherapist
One of the best ways you can tackle your vertigo symptoms is to make an appointment with a vestibular physiotherapist.
Vestibular physiotherapy is a specialized field where physiotherapists treat disorders of the vestibular system. These therapists undergo specialized training which allows them to assess your vestibular system and determine what treatments are right for you!
A vestibular physiotherapist will start by taking an in depth history about your symptoms, medical history, and goals for treatment. From there they will conduct a series of tests to help determine the cause of vertigo, as well as testing balance, vision and neurological systems.
One of these tests is called a “positional test” which will help to determine if your vertigo is caused by Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) – which is the most common cause of vertigo symptoms. This happens when small carbonate crystals or particles are dislodged and end up in one of the semicircular canals of your inner ear. BPPV is often triggered by specific movements of your head’s position such as when you tip your head up or down, when you roll over or sit up in bed.
After being assessed by a vestibular therapist you will be able to have a better understanding about your diagnosis. They will then work with you to create a personalized rehabilitation plan including exercise, body positioning, education and more to treat your vertigo symptoms. The Dizziness Clinic here at PhysioPlus is a great place to start your vestibular physiotherapy journey.
3. Ask a Vestibular Therapist About At-Home Exercises to Try
Once you have been assessed by a vestibular therapist they may be able to prescribe you a number of exercises you can do at home to help with vertigo symptoms!
During your assessment, the physiotherapist will perform tests to determine which directions of movement most affect your vertigo symptoms. Based on the positional tests, there are maneuvers that your therapist may guide you through to assist you in getting rid of vertigo.
Two of the most popular exercises are the Epley and BBQ roll.
The Epley Maneuver
This exercise begins with you sitting on a bed. You would then turn your head 45° in one direction and quickly lie back. While lying down you would turn your head 90° to the opposite direction and then turn your body to be lying on your side. After 1 minute return to sitting while keeping your head turned.
The BBQ Roll
To perform the BBQ Roll:
- Begin by lying on your back and roll to your right, wait 30 seconds.
- Roll back onto your back then roll onto your left, wait 30 seconds
- Roll onto your stomach, propping yourself up on your elbows, wait 30 seconds
- Roll back onto your right and wait another 30 seconds
- Slowly sit up
These exercises should only be performed after being assessed by a vestibular therapist and monitored in the clinic at first in order to ensure proper form. It is possible that maneuvers like these may temporarily increase vertigo symptoms which is also why it is important to perform them in a controlled environment to begin with!
4. Stress Relief & Exercise
Some vertigo symptoms can worsen with excessive stress, getting a handle on this can help to lessen your symptoms
Mindfulness and deep breathing are great ways to try and get control over your stress. There are a number of different apps you can get for your mobile device which will lead you through stress relieving meditation sessions.
Exercises like Yoga and Tai Chi can help to manage vertigo and go hand in hand with stress relief as well. They can also help to improve your balance which may be affected by vertigo.
You can also try specific balance exercises such as a tandem stance shown in this newsletter to help to improve your stability and decrease risk of falling due to vertigo.
Hopefully, by taking a few of these steps provided here today you can get a handle on your vertigo once and for all and get back to doing all of the things you love symptom-free!
This blog was written by Hayley Sevigny, a Physiotherapy student at the University of Toronto
Here at Physioplus, we have Dizziness, Vertigo and Balance Clinic. We can help you if you are struggling with steadying yourself while standing or walking. Book your initial assessment with us! Contact us to book a complimentary 20 minute phone or virtual consultation with our vestibular physiotherapist. We’ll listen to your questions and offer you honest advice about your treatment options.
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FAQ
How do you stop vertigo?
A technique called the Epley maneuver (also called canalith repositioning) typically helps resolve benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) more quickly than just waiting for your dizziness to go away on its own. The involved maneuvering the position of your head in a very specific way and it can be done by a vestibular physiotherapist or your doctor.
Can I self-treat vertigo at home?
While you can attempt the Epley maneuver at home on your own, it’s not generally recommended as it can sometimes cause your vertigo to get worse. It’s safer for you to be assessed by a vestibular physiotherapist or doctor in order to confirm that you have vertigo from benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) and confirm which canal the crystals are stuck in before doing the Epley. This will guide them as to how to do the Epley to ensure it doesn’t make your vertigo worse.
Is vertigo a serious condition?
Vertigo is bothersome and sometimes very debilitating, but it’s rarely a sign of a serious health problem. Proper diagnosis by a doctor or vestibular physiotherapist is key inorder to ensure treatment is effective. Treatment aims to address the underlying reason that’s causing your vertigo in order to eliminate your symptoms. If a cause isn’t known, your doctor may also treat the symptoms of vertigo alone.